Sharks and Their Relatives II Biodiversity, Adaptive Physiology, and Conservation

Expanding the coverage of its preceding volume (2004), this new book considers how elasmobranch fishes, the sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras' successfully survive in the wide range of habitats in which they live. It examines the particular suitability of integrated sensory systems and the resultant perception of their surroundings. This resource also discusses the stresses and behaviors that prevent elasmobranchs from inhabiting some oceanic realms and the adaptations that allow many other elasmobranch species to exploit virtually all aquatic realms, from marine and freshwater habitats, to tropical and Arctic waters.

CHONDRICHTHYAN BIODIVERSITY: ECOSYSTEMS AND DISTRIBUTION OF FAUNAEpipelagic Oceanic ElasmobranchsJohn D. StevensDeepwater ChondrichthyansPeter M. Kyne and Colin A. SimpfendorferChondrichthyans of High Latitude SeasDavid A. Ebert and Megan V. WintonElasmobranchs of Tropical Marine EcosystemsWilliam T. White and Emma SommervilleBiology of the South American Potamotrygonid StingraysRicardo S. Rosa, Patricia Charvet-Almeida, and Carla Christie Diban QuijadaLife History Strategies of BatoidsMichael G. FriskADAPTIVE PHYSIOLOGYOntogenetic Shifts in Movements and Habitat UseR. Dean GrubbsTracking and Analysis Techniques for Understanding Free-Ranging Shark Movements and BehaviorDavid W. SimsSensory Adaptations to the Environment: Electroreceptors as a Case StudyStephen M. Kajiura, Anthony D. Cornett, and Kara E. YopakMolecular Insights into Elasmobranch Reproductive Behavior for Conservation and ManagementDavid S. PortnoyPhysiological Responses to Stress in SharksGregory Skomal and Diego BernalPollutant Exposure and Effects in Sharks and Their RelativesJames Gelsleichter and Christina J. WalkerCONSERVATIONFactors Contributing to Shark Attacks on Humans: A Volusia County, Florida, Case StudyGeorge H. Burgess, Robert H. Buch, Felipe Carvalho, Brittany A. Garner, and Christina J. WalkerShark Control: Methods, Efficacy, and Ecological ImpactSheldon F.J. Dudley and Geremy CliffDNA Forensic Applications in Shark Management and ConservationMahmood S. ShivjiUnraveling the Ecological Importance of ElasmobranchsMichael R. Heithaus, Alejandro Frid, Jeremy J. Vaudo, Boris Worm, and Aaron J. WirsingLife Histories, Population Dynamics, and Extinction Risks in ChondrichthyansNicholas K. Dulvy and Robyn E. Forrest

Under the editorial guidance of Jeffrey C. Carrier, Ph.D., John A. (Jack) Musick, Ph.D., and Michael R. Heithaus, Ph.D., this book includes much of the team’s original research along with keen insights from their combined nearly 80 years of teaching in higher academia. Dr. Carrier’s current research is focused on the reproductive biology and mating behaviors of nurse sharks in a long-term study from an isolated region of the Florida Keys. Dr. Musick has published more than 150 scientific papers and co-authored or edited 16 books focused on the ecology and conservation of sharks, other marine fishes, and sea turtles. Dr. Musick served as co-chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group for nine years, and is currently the vice chair for science. Dr. Heithaus’ current work is centered on predator–prey interactions and the factors influencing behavioral decisions, especially of large marine taxa including marine mammals, sharks and rays, and sea turtles.